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of that miraculous jewel in a sort of trance。
She gave a shrill cackling laugh of mockery。
〃The great Mr。 Acton taken in by a bit of Palais Royal gimcrackery！
What an advertisement for Bogaerts et Cie！ They are perfect
artists in frauds。 Don't you remember their stand at the first
Paris Exhibition？ They had imitations there of every celebrated
stone； but I never expected anything made by man could delude Mr。
Acton； never！〃 And she went off into another mocking cackle； and
all the idiots round her haw…hawed knowingly； as if they had seen
the joke all along。 I was too bewildered to reply； which was on
the whole lucky。 〃I suppose I mustn't tell why I came to give
quite a big sum in francs for this？〃 she went on； tapping her
closed lips with her closed fan； and cocking her eye at us all like
a parrot wanting to be coaxed to talk。 〃It's a queer story。〃
I didn't want to hear her anecdote； especially as I saw she wanted
to tell it。 What I DID want was to see that pendant again。 She
had thrust it back among her laces； only the loop which held it to
the velvet being visible。 It was set with three small sapphires；
and even from a distance I clearly made them out to be imitations；
and poor ones。 I felt a queer thrill of self…mistrust。 Was the
large stone no better？ Could I； even for an instant； have been
dazzled by a sham； and a sham of that quality？ The events of the
evening had flurried and confused me。 I wished to think them over
in quiet。 I would go to bed。
My rooms at the Manor are the best in the house。 Leta will have it
so。 I must explain their position for a reason to be understood
later。 My bedroom is in the southeast angle of the house； it opens
on one side into a sitting…room in the east corridor； the rest of
which is taken up by the suite of rooms occupied by Tom and Leta；
and on the other side into my bathroom； the first room in the south
corridor； where the principal guest chambers are； to one of which
it was originally the dressing…room。 Passing this room I noticed a
couple of housemaids preparing it for the night； and discovered
with a shiver that Lady Carwitchet was to be my next…door neighbor。
It gave me a turn。
The bishop's strange warning must have unnerved me。 I was
perfectly safe from her ladyship。 The disused door into her room
was locked； and the key safe on the housekeeper's bunch。 It was
also undiscoverable on her side； the recess in which it stood being
completely filled by a large wardrobe。 On my side hung a thick
sound…proof portiere。 Nevertheless； I resolved not to use that
room while she inhabited the next one。 I removed my possessions；
fastened the door of communication with my bedroom； and dragged a
heavy ottoman across it。
Then I stowed away my emerald in my strong…box。 It is built into
the wall of my sitting…room； and masked by the lower part of an old
carved oak bureau。 I put away even the rings I wore habitually；
keeping out only an inferior cat's…eye for workaday wear。 I had
just made all safe when Leta tapped at the door and came in to wish
me good night。 She looked flushed and harassed and ready to cry。
〃Uncle Paul；〃 she began； 〃I want you to go up to town at once； and
stay away till I send for you。〃
〃My dear！〃 I was too amazed to expostulate。
〃We've got aa pestilence among us；〃 she declared； her foot
tapping the ground angrily； 〃and the least we can do is to go into
quarantine。 Oh； I'm so sorry and so ashamed！ The poor bishop！
I'll take good care that no one else shall meet that woman here。
You did your best for me； Uncle Paul； and managed admirably； but it
was all no use。 I hoped against hope that what between the dusk of
the drawing…room before dinner； and being put at opposite ends of
the table； we might get through without a meeting〃
〃But； my dear； explain。 Why shouldn't the bishop and Lady
Carwitchet meet？ Why is it worse for him than anyone else？〃
〃Why？ I thought everybody had heard of that dreadful wife of his
who nearly broke his heart。 If he married her for her money it
served him right； but Lady Landor says she was very handsome and
really in love with him at first。 Then Lady Carwitchet got hold of
her and led her into all sorts of mischief。 She left her husband
he was only a rector with a country living in those daysand went
to live in town； got into a horrid fast set； and made herself
notorious。 You MUST have heard of her。〃
〃I heard of her sapphires； my dear。 But I was in Brazil at the
time。〃
〃I wish you had been at home。 You might have found her out。 She
was furious because her husband refused to let her wear the great
Valdez sapphire。 It had been in the Montanaro family for some
generations； and her father settled it first on her and then on her
little girlthe bishop being trustee。 He felt obliged to take
away the little girl； and send her off to be brought up by some old
aunts in the country； and he locked up the sapphire。 Lady
Carwitchet tells as a splendid joke how they got the copy made in
Paris； and it did just as well for the people to stare at。 No
wonder the bishop hates the very name of the stone。〃
〃How long will she stay here？〃 I asked dismally。
〃Till Lord Carwitchet can come and escort her to Paris to visit
some American friends。 Goodness knows when that will be！ Do go up
to town； Uncle Paul！〃
I refused indignantly。 The very least I could do was to stand by
my poor young relatives in their troubles and help them through。 I
did so。 I wore that inferior cat's eye for six weeks！
It is a time I cannot think of even now without a shudder。 The
more I saw of that terrible old woman the more I detested her； and
we saw a very great deal of her。 Leta kept her word； and neither
accepted nor gave invitations all that time。 We were cut off from
all society but that of old General Fairford； who would go anywhere
and meet anyone to get a rubber after dinner； the doctor； a
sporting widower； and the Duberlys； a giddy； rather rackety young
couple who had taken the Dower House for a year。 Lady Carwitchet
seemed perfectly content。 She reveled in the soft living and good
fare of the Manor House； the drives in Leta's big barouche； and
Domenico's dinners； as one to whom short commons were not unknown。
She had a hungry way of grabbing and grasping at everything she
couldthe shillings she won at whist； the best fruit at dessert；
the postage stamps in the library inkstandthat was infinitely
suggestive。 Sometimes I could have pitied her； she was so greedy；
so spiteful； so friendless。 She always made me think of some
wicked old pirate putting into a peaceful port to provision and
repair his battered old hulk； obliged to live on friendly terms
with the natives； but his piratical old nostrils asniff for plunder
and his piratical old soul longing to be off marauding once more。
When would that be？ Not till the arrival in Paris of her
distinguished American f